Shoelace structure

ABSTRACT

A shoelace structure includes an elastic shoelace having two end sections on two ends thereof and a mediate section is located between the two end sections. Two end pieces are connected to the two end sections and each have a securing section and an engaging section which extends along a longitudinal direction from the securing section. The securing sections are respectively mounted to the end sections and the engaging sections extend toward the mediate section. The shoelace is free from the engaging sections which contact against the shoe to keep the shoelace to be tightened by the elasticity of the shoelace.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

A conventional shoelace extends through holes in the two flips on theshoe so as to pull the two flips toward each other to securely wear theshoe to the foot. The shoelace has to tie to avoid from being loosened.

The conventional way to tie the shoelace is to tie two ends of theshoelace together. When wearing a shoe, the user has to loosen theshoelace so that the foot can put into the shoe and then the shoelace istied tight. This involves complicated processes which may not beconvenient for kids or for those cannot use their fingers conveniently.The shoelace may loose and the user has to tie it again. The loosenedshoelace can be stepped by the user and makes the user fall or beinjured.

(2) Description of the Prior Art

The present invention intends to provide a shoelace that does not needto tie and the two ends of the shoelace are engaged with the shoe toeasily wrap the shoe to the user's foot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shoelace structure and includes anelastic shoelace having two end sections on two ends thereof and amediate section is located between the two end sections. Two end piecesare connected to the two end sections and each have a securing sectionand an engaging section which extends along a longitudinal directionfrom the securing section. The securing sections are respectivelymounted to the end sections and the engaging sections extend toward themediate section. The shoelace is free from the engaging sections.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a shoelacewherein the end pieces extend through the holes in the flips of theshoe, the engaging sections are free from the shoelace and contactagainst the holes so that the shoelace does not need to tie and cantight the shoe.

The present invention will become more obvious from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswhich show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment inaccordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view to show the end piece and a section of theshoelace of the shoelace structure of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view to show that the end piece is mountedto the end section of the shoelace of the shoelace structure of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is an end cross sectional view to show that the end piece isdeformed and securely mounted to the end section of the shoelace of theshoelace structure of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows that the shoelace of the present invention is used on ashoe;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view to show a second embodiment of theshoelace structure of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view to show a third embodiment of the shoelacestructure of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view to show the third embodiment of theshoelace structure of the present invention, and

FIG. 8 is an exploded view to show a fourth embodiment of the shoelacestructure of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the shoelace structure 100 of the presentinvention is used on a shoe 200 by extending through the holes 210 inthe two flips of the shoe 200. The shoelace structure 100 comprises ashoelace 10 with two end pieces 20 connected to two ends thereof. Forclarity purpose, only one end piece 20 and the shoelace 10 is disclosed.

The shoelace 10 is an elastic member and comprises an elastic cable 11wrapped with a woven outer layer 12. The two end sections 13 are formedon two ends of the shoelace 10 and a mediate section 14 is locatedbetween the two end sections 13.

In this embodiment, the two end pieces 20 each are made by metalmaterial

and have a securing section 21 and an engaging section 22 which extendsalong a longitudinal direction “X” from the securing section 21. Thesecuring section 21 and the engaging section 22 are made integrally toeach other. Each securing section 21 has a peripheral wall 212 which hasa passage 211 defined therethrough. A slot 213 is defined through theperipheral wall 212 along the longitudinal direction “X”. The securingsection 21 of each of the end pieces 20 includes multiple protrusions214 extending inward from an inner periphery of the peripheral wall 212,the protrusions 214 are cone-shaped protrusions. Two rows of teeth 215are located on two sides of the slot 213 and extend toward the passage211. The securing sections 21 are respectively mounted to the endsections 13 and the engaging sections 22 extending toward the mediatesection 14. The shoelace 10 being free from the engaging sections 22.

The end pieces 20 are then pressed by a tool (not shown) to narrow theperipheral wall 212 such that the protrusions 214 and the teeth 215penetrate the outer layer 12 to securely connect securing sections 21 tothe end sections 13 as shown in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the mediate section 14 of the shoelace 10extends thorough the holes 210 of the shoe 200 and the end pieces 20 arelocated outside of the holes 210, the engaging sections 22 are stoppedby the shoe 10. Because the shoelace 10 is elastic, so that the twoflips of the shoe 200 are pulled toward each other to secure the shoe 10to the wearer's foot. Therefore, the shoelace 10 does not need to tie.

When wearing the shoe 200, because of the elastic feature of theshoelace 10, the user simply pulls the shoelace 10 outward, the foot canbe put in the shoe 200. The shoelace 10 is then released, the shoelace10 bounces back to tightly wrap the shoe 200 to the foot. The engagingsections 22 contact against the shoe 200 so that the shoelace 10 doesnot loose.

Of course, the shoelace 10 has to be chosen to meet the requirements ofthe length required and the number of the holes 210 of the shoe 200. Theend pieces 20 may have desired colors and/or logos or pattern putthereon.

The shoelace 10 of the present invention has the following advantages:

1. The shoelace 10 extends through the holes 210 and does not need totie to achieve the purpose of securing the shoe 200 to the foot.Therefore, there will be no loosened shoelace that might be stepped bythe wearer.

2. The shoelace 10 can be used to different types of shoes 200 and thetightness can be adjusted according to the holes 210 of the shoe 200.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment wherein the end piece 20′ is similar tothat of the first embodiment, the difference is that the securingsection 21′ of the end piece 20′ includes multiple spikes 214′ extendingfrom the inner periphery of the peripheral wall 212, spikes 214′ areshaped to have a tip. The spikes 214′ replace the protrusions 214 in thefirst embodiment. The securing section 21′ of the end piece 20′ includestwo rows of teeth 215′ which are located on two sides of the slot. Thespikes 214′ and the teeth 215′ penetrate the outer layer of the shoelace10′ as described before. The length of the shoelace 10′ is set accordingto the number of the holes 210 of the shoe 200.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a third embodiment of the present invention whereinthe end piece 20″ is made of plastic material and the securing section21″ is a hollow cylindrical section and the engaging section 22″ extendsintegrally from the securing section 21″. The securing section 21″includes a peripheral wall 212″ having a passage 211″ and the endsection 13″ is inserted in the passage 211″ and glued to the peripheralwall 212″.

It is noted that the cross section of the shoelace can be any desiredshape, such as the disclosed circular shape, or rectangular shape (notshown), or flat oval shape as the fourth embodiment disclosed in FIG. 8.The end piece 40 is made of metal and the securing section 41 is a flatoval section to accommodate the shoelace 30.

The two end pieces 40 each have a securing section 41 which is a flatoval section and has a peripheral wall 312 which has a passage 311defined therethrough so as to accommodate the end sections 33 of theshoelace 30. A slot 313 is defined through the peripheral wall 312 alongthe longitudinal direction “X”. The securing section 41 of each of theend pieces 40 includes multiple protrusions 314 extending inward from aninner periphery of the peripheral wall 312. The protrusions 314 arecone-shaped protrusions. Two rows of teeth 315 are located on two sidesof the slot 313 and extend toward the passage 311.

Besides, the cross section of the shoelace can be circular, rectangularor flat shape, or any irregular shape. The shoelace can be a non-elasticmember and made by way of weaving. The end pieces are made by metal.After the un-elastic shoelace extending through the holes and the userpulls the shoelace to make it tight. The end pieces extend through theholes and the engaging sections are stopped by the flips of the shoe. Bythis way, the shoelace does not loose.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art thatfurther embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

1. A shoelace structure comprising: a shoelace having two end sectionson two ends thereof and a mediate section located between the two endsections, and two end pieces each having a securing section and anengaging section which extends along a longitudinal direction from thesecuring section, the securing sections respectively mounted to the endsections and the engaging sections extending toward the mediate section,the shoelace being free from the engaging sections.
 2. The shoelacestructure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shoelace is an elasticmember and the end pieces are made of metal, the securing section andthe engaging section are made integrally to each other, each securingsection has a peripheral wall which has a passage so that the endsection is engaged with the passage, a slot is defined through theperipheral wall along the longitudinal direction.
 3. The shoelacestructure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the securing section of the endpiece includes multiple protrusions extending inward from an innerperiphery of the peripheral wall, the protrusions are cone-shapedprotrusions.
 4. The shoelace structure as claimed in claim 3, whereinthe securing section includes two rows of teeth which are located on twosides of the slot and extend toward the passage.
 5. The shoelacestructure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the securing section of the endpiece includes multiple spikes extending from the inner periphery of theperipheral wall, spikes are shaped to have a sharp tip.
 6. The shoelacestructure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the securing section of the endpiece includes two rows of teeth which are located on two sides of theslot.
 7. The shoelace structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the endpiece is made of plastic material and the securing section is a hollowcylindrical section and the engaging section extends integrally from thesecuring section, the securing section includes a peripheral wall havinga passage and the end section is inserted in the passage and glued tothe peripheral wall.
 8. The shoelace structure as claimed in claim 1,wherein the shoelace is a non-elastic member and made by way of weaving.